Saturday's Painting

Here is a small painting I did last saturday with The Plein Air Painter's of Chicago. We went out to the Grove in Glenview. What a charming place. I know it has to be just beautiful in the fall and spring. This time of year I found it tuff to find a spot to paint because there was just so much green. So I will do few minor touches to my little piece but all in all I am happy with it.

Blank Canvas AHH

This morning I went into my studio planning on getting some good painting done, and what did I do, I stared at that blank canvas and just sat there. I even set up a pretty nice still life but was just uninspired. I blame it on the weather. I don't know about others but for me, when its so cloudy and grey outside I sometimes don't feel like doing anything. Perhaps I should have taken my plein air easel out and painting that cloudy day. I wanted to be productive so I began stretching a few of my paintings. I stretched the ones I knew were successful as well as a few blank canvases just so I would not have any excuses the next time I came into the studio.

I'm beginning to really see the need to be prepared. I don't like coming into the studio and finding I have a certain amount of time to work only to get nothing done because I was not prepared. When I say prepared I mean, do I have all my materials at hand, do I have my studio clean to work, do I need to buy fresh flowers or fruit to be inspired to paint? I found I get the most done when I have an idea of what I'm going to do. I get inspired when I know I will have three hours to paint and I just went to the store and bought a new tea cup or fresh flowers.

Yeh I'm getting excited to paint already.

Here is a still life I had done some time ago. I just thought I'd share with you all. I had fun with this. I like the white on white with a touch of color.

Romel dela Torre's Workshop

I just finished up a workshop with Romel dela Torre. It was a workshop on painting the model outdoors as well as learning to paint from photos.

The first weekend we painted from the model and took photos. The following day we worked from the sketches we had done the previous day as well as using our photos as a reference. Good stuff.

This weekend Romel did two outstanding demos and we all got to paint from life both days. On Saturday we were supposed to think abstract and use lots of paint. That was a tuff one for me. When I think I'm using a lot of paint I see later it was really nothing. Sunday everyone painted in the way they preferred. I tried to stay with abstract and capturing the light. Romel came over in the last 10 minutes, added those abstract shapes and color notes to make the painting sing. Ugh, how does he do that, I don't know but will work hard to find out and apply it.

I think however, that each new painting I do becomes more exciting as I place these new ideas and skills into practice.

Painting is such hard work but great fun.

Painting with My Brother

I visited my brother and his family over the holiday weekend. It was nice to have a break from painting for a little while. Not for too long though. On Saturday I painted in the morning and drove up to his house. After we all went to see a movie and relaxed a bit My brother took the pool out for the little kids to cool off. I was so itching to paint so I grabbed my paints and set up to paint the kids playing in the pool.

My brother saw my set up and hinted at wanting to paint. I told him I had an extra set up and to join me. He was a bit nervous because he had not painted in a long time. I encouraged him and we went to work.

It was so nice to be painting with him again. We used to take classes together at Marwen and worked at Gallery 37 together as well, way back when.

We only had a short while to paint. It began to rain after a while and with three kids running around we both only painted his little girl and as you know they don't stand still. My little nephew kept coming over to see what we were doing and asked if he could help, as well as offered some incredible encouragement "Dad you're doing a great job." and "Cio Cia (thats Polish for Aunt) Marci yours is very nice too."

It was a cherished moment.
I look forward to painting with him again